PFF tells us what we already know about 49ers' NFL Draft needs

If you're wondering what Pro Football Focus said about the 49ers' top needs in the NFL Draft, chances are you already know.

Quick... name out loud what you think the San Francisco 49ers' top two priorities are for the 2024 NFL Draft.

If you said the offensive line and at cornerback, you're thinking right alongside what the folks over at Pro Football Focus are thinking.

PFF just examined the "state of all 32 franchises" with just days counting down until this year's draft, and the relieving part is they list the Niners as the favorites in the NFC this season.

For good reason.

Despite coming off a tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl last February, San Francisco's core is still very much intact, and there's plenty of star power on both sides of the ball that should help ensure general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad remains a top contender this season.

With a solid effort in free agency, PFF feels as if the 49ers don't have any immediate starting needs to address via the draft where they're poised to select at No. 31 overall.

Instead, PFF hopes the Niners address depth and seek possible upgrades within those two aforementioned spots.

Here's what they had to say about San Francisco's proposed plan for the draft later this month:

"The 49ers are the favorites in the NFC in 2024, heading into the draft with arguably the best group of skill position players in the league and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Brock Purdy has proven that he is good enough to win in this system and with these players, so the draft is just an opportunity to fill out some depth and future needs rather than find immediate starters. More depth in the secondary is probably the 49ers' biggest need, but they could also stand to improve on the offensive line."

The 49ers have their starting O-line all returning in 2024, which takes pressure off having to find a plug-and-play option via the draft, especially early. The Niners can subsequently look to draft the best player available instead of reaching for a lineman.

Although the consensus is that a lineman, probably a tackle, would be the top selection at No. 31 overall.

Finding "more depth in the secondary" also makes sense, too, given that cornerbacks Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Isaac Yiadom are all free agents in 2025, while strong safety Talanoa Hufanga is coming back from a torn ACL and is also hitting a contract year.

As PFF pointed out, filling "out some depth and future needs" is the order of business when the 2024 draft kicks off on April 25.

PFF tells us what we already know about 49ers' NFL Draft needs

By Peter Panacy | Apr 10, 2024

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